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Dust entry

Zirconium compound dust

Airborne particulate from zirconium compounds and zirconium production or milling operations.

Airborne form

dust

The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.

Health effects

occupational particulate exposure concernlow-order toxicity qualificationdust and fume exposure concern

Evidence

The current NIOSH Pocket Guide sets zirconium compounds at a 5 mg/m³ time-weighted-average REL and 10 mg/m³ short-term limit, describes gray-to-gold amorphous powder, and reports skin and lung granulomas and retained lung material in animals.

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Exposure Limits; Physical Description; Exposure Routes; Symptoms; Target Organs · 1
NIOSH REL TWA 5 mg/m³ ST 10 mg/m³. Physical Description Metal: Soft, malleable, ductile, solid or gray to gold, amorphous powder. Exposure Routes inhalation, skin and/or eye contact. Symptoms Skin, lung granulomas; In Animals: irritation skin, mucous membrane; X-ray evidence of retention in lungs.

NIOSH lists a 5 mg/m³ TWA REL and 10 mg/m³ short-term limit for zirconium compounds and describes zirconium metal as a gray-to-gold amorphous powder.

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Exposure Limits; Physical Description · 1
NIOSH REL TWA 5 mg/m³ ST 10 mg/m³. Physical Description Metal: Soft, malleable, ductile, solid or gray to gold, amorphous powder.

NIOSH characterizes zirconium compounds as having a low order of toxicity and gives a revised IDLH of 25 mg Zr/m³ based on animal acute-toxicity data.

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Acute Toxicity Data; Revised IDLH · 1
The available toxicological data indicate that zirconium compounds possess a low order of toxicity ... The revised IDLH for zirconium compounds is 25 mg Zr/m³ based on acute toxicity data in animals.

The NIOSH/OSHA review reports limited toxicity in a one-year inhalation study at 3.5 mg zirconium/m³ dust and mist.

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ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS · 2
Inhalation studies conducted for one year at levels of 3.5 mg zirconium/m³ dust and mist resulted in limited toxicity.

A NIOSH health-hazard evaluation documents dust and fume exposure during zirconium production and milling.

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page 1 · Summary · 1
Exposures to the dust and fume of zirconium can occur during production and milling. The NIOSH REL applies to all zirconium compounds except zirconium tetrachloride.

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